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From: Steward, Celeste <csteward>
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:27:19 -0700
Hello Ms. Woodson!
Please allow me to gush just a moment--I adore your books!
My top favorites are Coming on Home Soon, The Other Side and Visiting Day. Coming on Home Soon made me cry too...and The Other Side made a lasting impression on my then 8-year old daughter who is very interested in civil rights and says that Dr. King is her hero.
Visiting Day is a book that needed to be written. I didn't buy it because it was the only one out there. I was so grateful that the topic was treated with respect and so gracefully written. I think that's what I like most about your books--the writing style is graceful.
P.S. Congratulations on the birth of your child. You'll find time to write again...think of this special time with your child as "research".
Celeste Steward, Librarian IV, Collection Development Alameda County Library 2450 Stevenson Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Jacqueline Woodson Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 1:47 PM To: lcolabucci at yahoo.com Cc: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] dear all:
So that was the first time I ever stood in front of an audience and read from Show Way. And it was the first time, I ever choked up reading my own writing. I have this tape of Carson McCullers reading from Member of the Wedding that I downloaded last summer after years of searching. (McCullers has that old southern accent that you don't hear anymore unless you know someone who is white, from the south, and in their sixties or seventies.) But at one point, she says "I love the two of them so much and we belong together. I love the two of them so much for they are the we of me.) And on saying the second
"I love" her sweet southern voice just breaks and through the static of all the time that has passed since that piece was recorded, you can still hear and almost see her composing herself as a good southern lady would. But it blows me away. And that year, reading Show Way for the first time and being a very new mom, I felt the enormity of love for the people who came before me and for my daughter and I think, the whole audience felt it. It was this amazing collective emotion that just resonated. It was scary and amazing for me.
But the journey to Show Way began with my grandmother's transition from this world to the next place. I guess when she realized she was not going to be here much longer, she started giving me all this information -- some of which I knew, some I didn't. And she told me to write it down. (This from a woman who, with my mom, would get quiet when I walked into the room because they feared I'd write and
'tell the world all our business' - oy!). But she gave me names and places and dates. And that was the beginning of Show Way. I listen to music a lot when I write and over the months -- and eventually, the years that Show Way was coming into the world, I listened to the Neville Brothers sing "Let The Circle Be Unbroken" about a million times.
Part of the waiting on Show Way was Hudson's illustrations. He himself was doing research and working meticulously on the book to get it 'right'. It was a very important book for him and I feel like that comes through in every single one of the illustrations. And he and I met often to talk about how the book would look -- a lot of the pictures in it are actual family members -- my grandmother, my mom, my aunt, my daughter...
I think Show Way is the book closest to my heart. My daughter is six now. The year after my grandmother died, I became pregnant with Toshi so the two never got to meet. Having them in the same place (inside Show Way) makes me feel like the circle continues to be unbroken.
My journey as a writer? It's just that. An eternal journey. There's so much I don't know about writing, about the world, about people. So many questions I have and so the books keep coming. Of course, I have a three and a half month old now. That raises a whole other set of questions. The main one being -- when am I going to get to write???
> I was lucky enough to hear Jackie Woodson speak at a previous
> Virginia Hamilton conference. She read from a manuscript of "Show-
> Way" long before it was published. Often at the VH conference, you
> can feel the whole audience's engagement, but it was more intense
> than ever in this case. I had such goose bumps and I could tell
> everyone around me was holding their breath, caught up in the
> beauty of it. Can you imagine how it rang in our ears during what
> seemed like years waiting for the book to finally come out? Jackie,
> do you remember the timeline of when you were there and then when
> the book came out? At that conference you also spoke a bit about
> "We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past." Would you be willing to tell us
> more about how that book came to be and what your feelings are
> about it now. I suspect we're all really interested in your journey
> as a writer.
>
> Take care,
> Lesley
>
> Lesley Colabucci, Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor
> Elementary and Early Childhood Education
> Millersville University of Pennsylvania
> PO Box 1002
> Millersville, PA 17551-0302
>
> 51 Lyte Road
> 322 Stayer Hall
>
> (717) 871-5462 (fax)
> (717) 871-5618 (office)
>
> lesley.colabucci at millersville.edu
>
>
> --- On Thu, 6/12/08, ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com <ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com> wrote:
>
>> From: ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com <ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com>
>> Subject: [CCBC-Net] dear all:
>> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
>> Date: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 6:53 PM
>> this is a perfect time to announce this great news:
>>
>> jacqueline woodson has been awarded the 11th annual
>>
>> virginia hamilton literary award...for the distinguished
>> body of her
>> work...to be presented at the 25th annual virginia hamilton
>> conference on
>> multicultural literature for youth...kent state
>> university...april 2-3 2009!!!!
>>
>> this special anniversary conference will focus on virginia
>> and her
>> work....with jackie accepting and presenting a keynote...of
>> course...as well as... barry
>> moser...who will also receive the/an 11th annual
>> literary award (a
>> double-header in honor of their unique contributions....and
>> a double focus on our
>> literature and art...and a quarter century of continuing
>> conferences of inclusion
>> and participation towards a true american culture....)
>>
>> please mark your calendars....
>>
>> and this public congratulations to jackie and to
>> barry...and to all members
>> of the ccbc...for helping to make a way...for so many
>> years....
>>
>> arnold
>>
>>
>>
>> **************
>> Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife.
>> City's Best
>> 2008.
>> (http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102)
>> _______________________________________________
>> CCBC-Net mailing list
>> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
>> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
>> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Fri 13 Jun 2008 05:27:19 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:27:19 -0700
Hello Ms. Woodson!
Please allow me to gush just a moment--I adore your books!
My top favorites are Coming on Home Soon, The Other Side and Visiting Day. Coming on Home Soon made me cry too...and The Other Side made a lasting impression on my then 8-year old daughter who is very interested in civil rights and says that Dr. King is her hero.
Visiting Day is a book that needed to be written. I didn't buy it because it was the only one out there. I was so grateful that the topic was treated with respect and so gracefully written. I think that's what I like most about your books--the writing style is graceful.
P.S. Congratulations on the birth of your child. You'll find time to write again...think of this special time with your child as "research".
Celeste Steward, Librarian IV, Collection Development Alameda County Library 2450 Stevenson Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Jacqueline Woodson Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 1:47 PM To: lcolabucci at yahoo.com Cc: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] dear all:
So that was the first time I ever stood in front of an audience and read from Show Way. And it was the first time, I ever choked up reading my own writing. I have this tape of Carson McCullers reading from Member of the Wedding that I downloaded last summer after years of searching. (McCullers has that old southern accent that you don't hear anymore unless you know someone who is white, from the south, and in their sixties or seventies.) But at one point, she says "I love the two of them so much and we belong together. I love the two of them so much for they are the we of me.) And on saying the second
"I love" her sweet southern voice just breaks and through the static of all the time that has passed since that piece was recorded, you can still hear and almost see her composing herself as a good southern lady would. But it blows me away. And that year, reading Show Way for the first time and being a very new mom, I felt the enormity of love for the people who came before me and for my daughter and I think, the whole audience felt it. It was this amazing collective emotion that just resonated. It was scary and amazing for me.
But the journey to Show Way began with my grandmother's transition from this world to the next place. I guess when she realized she was not going to be here much longer, she started giving me all this information -- some of which I knew, some I didn't. And she told me to write it down. (This from a woman who, with my mom, would get quiet when I walked into the room because they feared I'd write and
'tell the world all our business' - oy!). But she gave me names and places and dates. And that was the beginning of Show Way. I listen to music a lot when I write and over the months -- and eventually, the years that Show Way was coming into the world, I listened to the Neville Brothers sing "Let The Circle Be Unbroken" about a million times.
Part of the waiting on Show Way was Hudson's illustrations. He himself was doing research and working meticulously on the book to get it 'right'. It was a very important book for him and I feel like that comes through in every single one of the illustrations. And he and I met often to talk about how the book would look -- a lot of the pictures in it are actual family members -- my grandmother, my mom, my aunt, my daughter...
I think Show Way is the book closest to my heart. My daughter is six now. The year after my grandmother died, I became pregnant with Toshi so the two never got to meet. Having them in the same place (inside Show Way) makes me feel like the circle continues to be unbroken.
My journey as a writer? It's just that. An eternal journey. There's so much I don't know about writing, about the world, about people. So many questions I have and so the books keep coming. Of course, I have a three and a half month old now. That raises a whole other set of questions. The main one being -- when am I going to get to write???
> I was lucky enough to hear Jackie Woodson speak at a previous
> Virginia Hamilton conference. She read from a manuscript of "Show-
> Way" long before it was published. Often at the VH conference, you
> can feel the whole audience's engagement, but it was more intense
> than ever in this case. I had such goose bumps and I could tell
> everyone around me was holding their breath, caught up in the
> beauty of it. Can you imagine how it rang in our ears during what
> seemed like years waiting for the book to finally come out? Jackie,
> do you remember the timeline of when you were there and then when
> the book came out? At that conference you also spoke a bit about
> "We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past." Would you be willing to tell us
> more about how that book came to be and what your feelings are
> about it now. I suspect we're all really interested in your journey
> as a writer.
>
> Take care,
> Lesley
>
> Lesley Colabucci, Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor
> Elementary and Early Childhood Education
> Millersville University of Pennsylvania
> PO Box 1002
> Millersville, PA 17551-0302
>
> 51 Lyte Road
> 322 Stayer Hall
>
> (717) 871-5462 (fax)
> (717) 871-5618 (office)
>
> lesley.colabucci at millersville.edu
>
>
> --- On Thu, 6/12/08, ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com <ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com> wrote:
>
>> From: ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com <ARNOLDADOFF at aol.com>
>> Subject: [CCBC-Net] dear all:
>> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
>> Date: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 6:53 PM
>> this is a perfect time to announce this great news:
>>
>> jacqueline woodson has been awarded the 11th annual
>>
>> virginia hamilton literary award...for the distinguished
>> body of her
>> work...to be presented at the 25th annual virginia hamilton
>> conference on
>> multicultural literature for youth...kent state
>> university...april 2-3 2009!!!!
>>
>> this special anniversary conference will focus on virginia
>> and her
>> work....with jackie accepting and presenting a keynote...of
>> course...as well as... barry
>> moser...who will also receive the/an 11th annual
>> literary award (a
>> double-header in honor of their unique contributions....and
>> a double focus on our
>> literature and art...and a quarter century of continuing
>> conferences of inclusion
>> and participation towards a true american culture....)
>>
>> please mark your calendars....
>>
>> and this public congratulations to jackie and to
>> barry...and to all members
>> of the ccbc...for helping to make a way...for so many
>> years....
>>
>> arnold
>>
>>
>>
>> **************
>> Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife.
>> City's Best
>> 2008.
>> (http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102)
>> _______________________________________________
>> CCBC-Net mailing list
>> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
>> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
>> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Fri 13 Jun 2008 05:27:19 PM CDT
